OF MR. CHAPIN, OF NEW YORK, ON THE MOTION TO AMEND THE BILL TO PROVIDE FOR HARBORS ON THE WESTERN LAKES. Delivered in the House of Representatives, Feb. 27, 1837. WASHINGTON: PRINTED AT THE GLOBE OFFICE SPEECH. وعد Mr. CHAPIN said he had proposed the amend that the time of the House is too precious to be conment under consideration, because an appropriation sumed in debate; he could assure gentlemen he did of seven thousand dollars for works at Buffalo har- not intend to occupy more time than he deemed inbor was recommended in the estimates of the En-dispensably necessary, claiming for himself the pri gineer Department accompanying the report of the vilege-a very common one-of presenting his Committee of Ways and Means, which was wholly views somewhat more in detail to the country omitted in the bill. The harbor bill, reported by through the medium of the press. the Committee of Ways and Means, provided for The official communications annually made to works already commenced under the authority of Congress by the Engineer Department, in relation an act of Congress. For all such works appropria- to the public works under their superintendence, tions were to be made, annually, until they should be are justly entitled to great consideration. Indeed, completed, based upon the estimates of the Engi- the estimates furnished by the resident engineer, neer Department, to whose charge and superinten- and sanctioned by the distinguished officer at the dence they had been committed. The provisions head of the department, ought to furnish the meaof this bill do not correspond at all with the esti- sure of such appropriations, unless good cause can mates furnished and laid on our tables. In some in- be shown why they should not. It might be said, stances, the appropriations called for are omitted without hazard of contradiction, there is not to be altogether--in others, they are largely reduced. found in the public service a class of officers more The aggregate of the estimates of the department intelligent, vigilant, trustworthy, and patriotic than for the year 1837, amounts to the sum of two mil- the corps of United States Engineers. Combining lions three hundred and twenty-one thousand five science with practical experience, and an intimate hundred and thirty-six dollars; the aggregate of the knowledge of the navigation and commerce of the appropriations for which provision is made in the country, they are eminently fitted for the discharge bill, as reported, is the sum of nine hundred and for- of the public trusts confided to them. Their estity-five thousand dollars, falling short of what is re-mates for appropriations are founded, without ex quired by the Engineer Department more than one half. Representing a district of country that has a deep interest in the improvement of harbors on the northern lakes, he could not, consistently with a proper regard to his duty, suffer the bill to pass without expressing his dissent to the conclusions of the Committee of Ways and Means. He avowed It is a partof the system of national protection to it to be his settled conviction, that a judicious ex- provide forthe improvement and construction of penditure of the public treasure, having proper re- harbors. They are works of great importance, and gard to economy, and the great national objects to of public utility, clearly within the scope of the conbe effected by the speedy completion of these im- stitutional powers of Congress, and the legitimate portant works, required that Congress should re- objects of national legislation. The General Gospond fully to the calls of the Engineer Depart-vernment derives revenue from commerce, in ment, by making liberal appropriations. He had which the States, as such, cannot participate. devoted much time to the examination of this The improvement of the harbors on the lakes havinteresting subject, and was prepared to vote ing become, therefore, a part of the settled policy every dollar of appropriation to carry out of the United States, it seems to be just that exand complete the present system of improv-penditures for necessary works should be commen ing the harbors on the lakes called for by the surate to the increasing commerce of the country, department, and he hoped the various provisions of the bill, applicable to these works, would be amended accordingly. In the remarks he was about to submit, he should not, therefore, confine himself exclusively to the consideration of the amendment proposed, but he should take a wider and more comprehensive view of the subject, in order to call the attention of this branch of Congress, and the country, to the vast importance of these improvements, as connected with the internal commerce of the northern and western States. At this late period of the session he was fully aware, ception, upon actual surveys and examinations made on the ground, and furnish the most accurate and satisfactory information that can be acquired on the subject. For one, he had great confidence in these estimates, and he hoped the House would sustain the call of the department. and the magnitude of the interests involved. Vast numbers of enterprising citizens have embarked in. the commerce of these inland seas, under the reasonable expectation that Congress will make adequate appropriations to finish the works already begun, and authorize others where they are needed, by which means the dangers of navigation will be diminished, and the facilities of trade increased. Such expenditures are no longer to be regarded as of partial, local, or doubtful benefit. They are objects of vast national importance, affecting, to a large extent, the internal trade of the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, į and Michigan, and the Territory of Wisconsin, whose shores are washed by these lakes. The strongest argument that can be suggested in support of liberal appropriations for these public works results from a simple narative of facts, showing the increase of the commerce and navigation on the lakes. It would be instructive to present them somewhat in detail, as connected with the present argument, and for future reference. . In 1828, about the period when the present system of improving the harbors on the lakes commenced, the gross revenue collected in the district of Oswego, as ascertained from the Register of the Treasury, was only $64 65;in 1835, it was $36,424 49, and in 1836, it exceeded $52,000. In the district of Genesee, in 1828, the customs collected were only $131 26; in 1835, $26,071 74, and in 1836 they amounted to $60,000. In 1822 there were about ten sail of vessels, and only one steamboat on all the upper lakes. In 1836 there were thirty-nine steamboats, three ships, six brigs, and one hundred and forty-seven schooners and sloops, with an aggregate tonnage of twen ty-five thousand two hundred and six tons. Thir teen steamboats of the largest class, and numerous other vessels, are now on the stocks, which will be ready for the opening of navigation in the spring. cent. During the past year, there were eight hundred and ten arrivals, and the same number of clearances, of steamboats, and one thousand and fortyseven arrivals of ships, brigs, schooners and sloops, and the same number of clearances, at the harbor of Buffalo, with an aggregate of six hundred and forty-two thousand and sixty tons. During the same season there were one hundred and eight thousand passengers going west from Buffalo in steamboats. The returns of the collector of canal tolls, It appears fron the transactions of the custom- at Buffalo, in 1836, show an increase of seventy per house at Oswego, for 1836, that the aggregate of cent of merchandise and property sent beyond the American vessels entered was eighty-seven thou-State of New York through the Erie canal, and an sand seven hundred and forty-five tons; of the same increase of tolls collected there, of nearly fifty per cleared, ninety-three thousand three hundred and twenty-three tons. The aggregate of foreign vessels entered was sixty-one thousand nine hundred and forty-seven tons; of the same cleared, sixty thousand five hundred and fifty-four tons. During the past year 26,998,697 pounds of mer-hat he had no further knowledge of its necessity chandise were received at Oswego; of this amount 16,039,226 pounds were destined to Canada and the upper lakes. There were also received during the same year 292,444 feet of sawed lumber, 35,217 feet of timber, and 180,000 bushels of for- "At Chicago, in 1833 were but four arrivals from eign wheat. the lower lakes, viz: 2 brigs and 2 schooners, say 700 There was, also, shipped on the canal from Os-tons. In 1835 there were about 250 arrivals, nearly wego, in 1836, seventy-two millions two hundred all of which were schooners, averaging about 90 tons and thirty-nine thousand and eighty-four pounds burden each, or 22,500 tons in all. In 1836, the of property, paying toll by weight; eight millions first arrival was the eighteenth day of April. From three hundred and ninety thousand nine hundred that time to the first day of December, 226 days, and forty-eight feet of sawed lumber, and one hun-456 vessels (49 steamboats 10 ships and barques, dred and ninety-two thousand one hundred and 2 brigs, 363 schooners, and 8 sloops,) arrived, twelve feet of timber. Mr. MERCER of Virginia, rose and inquired, whether the appropriation for Buffalo harbor was recommended hy the Engineer Department. Mr. C. said he had so stated in the outset, and than such estimate, which he again referred to. averaging 47,550 tons, as follows: 85 ships, steam- In discussing a subject of such vast importance to the people of the United States, it is impossible to keep out of view the immense extent and cost of the internal improvements, projected, commenced and finished under the authority of the several State Governments, and in the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, which have been, or will be brought to bear with wonderful effect upon the trade, commerce, and general prosperity of the States and Territory bordering upon the lakes. The works of the General Government, in the opening of harbors, commence where the internal improvements "As there are several vessels now on the way of the States terminate. New avenues for com- which will arrive here this season, we may safely merce in the fertile regions of the West are open-state the tonnage at 60,000! being an increase of ing almost daily. The canals and railroads are 59,300 tons in three years! Year No. of arrivals. Average Tonnage. 1833 1835 1836 4 250 456 700 22,500 57,550 the commercial channels leading to and from the "Toledo dates its birth as a town in June, 1834. lakes. Most of the harbors named in the bill on your table, are the points of the actual or proposed terminations of such canals or railroads. The people of the States do, therefore, expect that the General Government will provide for the protection of shipping against the winds and waves, while receiving and discharging their cargoes, by the construction of piers, and by causing the obstructions to be removed at the entrance of harbors. At that period, the space occupied by its present site, with the exception of one or two small clearings, was a dense forest. Its population scarcely amounted to 150. Not a steamboat of the larger class entered the Maumee river that year, except the Daniel Webster, which came in on her last trip in November. But few steamboats or schooners, (we have not the means of a precise computation,) entered the succeeding year, 1835. In 1836, from |